ICANN approves .XXX adult domain

Internet domain regulator ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) has approved the .XXX top-level domain for adult entertainment sites. It is likely major Ireland-based hosting player Blacknight will be among the first to begin selling .XXX domains.

The proposal for a .XXX sponsored top-level domain (sTLD) was approved by ICANN in 2005. One year later, ICANN reversed the decision and in 2007 it was again rejected. ICM Registry appealed this decision and almost a year ago it was announced it won the appeal.

Blacknight is working with ICM Registry to provide information services to businesses with bona fide adult industry credentials who wish to register for domain names ahead of launch.

ICANN’s decision

Yesterday, the board of ICANN decided it would allow the .XXX domain to be overseen by ICM Registry, despite a number of board members opposing the resolution.

In its meeting minutes from the ICANN board meeting in Silicon Valley yesterday, the board of ICANN said it accepted the findings of an independent review panel after due diligence was conducted into ICM’s application to manage the domain. It said more than 700 comments were received during the consultation though few addressed the terms of the registry agreement.

Speaking with Siliconrepublic.com last month, Blacknight CEO Michele Neylon said his company at the time was the only ICANN-registered reseller prepared to sell .XXX domains.